Consumer Acceptance of Upcycled Food Products

Consumer acceptance of upcycled food products hinges on perceptions of safety, naturalness, environmental benefit and sensory quality. Upcycled foods repurpose by-products, damaged produce and waste streams into novel ingredients, addressing food waste and resource efficiency within circular food systems. Despite growing sustainability concerns, many consumers remain hesitant towards food innovations derived from waste, influenced by knowledge gaps, food technophobia and unfamiliarity with processing methods. Acceptance rests on clear communication of benefits—nutritional value, ecological impact and health credentials—and alignment with existing dietary routines. Sociodemographic factors such as age, education and income interact with psychographic traits like environmental awareness and food neophobia, delineating segments more receptive to upcycled offerings. Effective marketing leverages trust in safety, transparent labelling and endorsements or certifications to bridge the ideational barrier associated with waste-derived foods. Global markets reveal variation: regions with strong circular economy policies and sustainability-oriented consumer cultures display higher willingness to experiment with upcycled products. Practical applications range from bakery goods enriched with fruit pomace and coffee grounds to protein-rich ingredients extracted from vegetable processing streams. As manufacturers refine sensory profiles and sustainability credentials, overcoming neophobic responses remains central to scaling upcycled products from niche to mainstream retail.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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Consumer Acceptance of Upcycled Food Products publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in consumer acceptance of upcycled food products across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Upcycled food: Foods elevated in value by transforming ingredients that would otherwise be discarded into safe, edible products.

Food neophobia: Reluctance or refusal to try unfamiliar foods or ingredients.

Psychographic characteristics: Consumer values, attitudes and lifestyle traits influencing purchasing behaviour.

Sociodemographic characteristics: Consumer attributes such as age, gender and education level.

Frugality framing: Communication approach emphasising resourcefulness and waste avoidance to enhance product appeal.

References

1. A scoping review of the literature examining consumer acceptance of upcycled foods. Food Quality and Preference (2024).
2. Can gene-editing accelerate the protein shift? Consumer acceptance of an upcycled meat-substitute. Food Policy (2024).
3. Communicating upcycled foods: Frugality framing supports acceptance of sustainable product innovations. Food Quality and Preference (2022).